WASHINGTON, June 1: The White House on Thursday rejected an invitation from North Korea for the chief US envoy to stalled nuclear talks to visit Pyongyang.

“The United States is not going to engage in bilateral negotiations with the government of North Korea,” said White House spokesman Tony Snow, saying Washington was sticking to its position that any negotiations be conducted through a six-nation format.

North Korea invited the chief envoy, Christopher Hill, to visit Pyongyang to directly explain whether the United States has a ‘true political intention’ to implement a joint agreement aimed at persuading the North to give up its nuclear weapons programme.

North Korea has refused to return to six-party talks — involving North and South Korea, the United States, China, Japan and Russia — since the last round in November because of a US crackdown on firms suspected of aiding Pyongyang in illicit financial activities.

“The United States sticks by its position, which is North Korea has to return to the six-party talks,” Snow said.—Reuters